After The Rebellion
by Horch
Summary: When the Rebellion succeeded, a lot of people's lives changed. Here are just some of the thousands, and their thoughts on this new life of theirs. Finnick/Annie. Katniss/Peeta. Rory/Prim.
1. The Hawthornes

Hazelle Hawthorne

Hazelle sighed. She missed her district, the one she grew up in. District Twelve. But if Gale returned, he will not be welcomed. And she made a vow to herself to never leave Gale and the kids. The kids—Rory, Vick and Posy, that is—were not really _kids_ anymore, but she was used to the term.

As for Gale, she did not know. Gale was not as warm as the kids were, after the Rebellion. He became cold and aloof, which made people want to veer away from him. Thus, the twenty-five year old Gale Hawthorne did not have a girlfriend.

Hazelle suspected it was Katniss Everdeen who was the cause of Gale's troubles. But how could she blame the girl who stole her son's heart? Plus, Hazelle liked her way too much.

Therefore, Hazelle was stuck in District Two, taking care of her children all day long. She was unemployed, much to her dismay. But alas, that was how things were.

Rory Hawthorne

Rory was a different story. Sure, he missed District Twelve, but he missed her even more. Her soft blond hair and cheerful blue eyes. Her warm and…well, _cute_ face. Her likable personality, and how everyone couldn't help but love her.

Of course, Rory was referring to Primrose Everdeen, the beautiful sister of the Girl on Fire. Primrose Everdeen, the pleasant sister of the Girl on Fire. Primrose Everdeen, the _dead_ sister of the Girl on Fire.

But there was a much bigger problem. His older brother, Gale. The one he had looked up to as a role model. But Gale had failed him in more ways than one. By being distant and guarded. By always scowling. By never bothering to talk to him.

(And though Rory never admitted it, it bothered him to think that Gale's bombs could have killed Primrose Everdeen.)

Gale's sudden cold attitude was bothering him even more than Prim's death was.

Vick Hawthorne

"_Hi, Gale." Vick said cautiously. He did not know if Gale would shout at him and tell him to go away or allow him to come in his room and speak with him, even just for a tiny moment. "Can I talk to you for a second?"_

"_Mm." replied Gale, clearly busy with his paperwork. But he looked up, and that was a start. Maybe Rory wasn't completely right about the new Gale. "Of course, Vick. What do you want to talk to me about?"_

_Vick fidgeted. "Well… it's about… the Mockingjay."_

_Gale raised his eyebrow. "The… Mockingjay?"_

"_Yeah, you know… the girl you always hunted with. Katniss Everdeen."_

"_What about her?" Gale asked sharply. "What about Katniss Everdeen do you want to know?"_

"_We haven't heard from her in a while, have we? What's happened? I thought you were friends, Gale." Vick answered. For some reason, the very subject of Katniss Everdeen caused his older brother to become agitated and aggressive._

"_Vick." Gale's voice was suddenly filled with pain. But he had masked it with a cough. "Vick… we aren't that close anymore. I'm busy, now, so please. Get out."_

As Vick remembered that short conversation, he realized that maybe Rory was right about the new Gale.

Posy Hawthorne

Getting out of District Thirteen was a good start. The Rebellion was over, the Hunger Games was stopped, the Capitol was destroyed, and the evil President Coriolanus Snow was dead. Posy had thought that her family's lives will get better, along with hers of course.

But she could not have been more wrong.

First of all, she loved District Twelve. But District Twelve was blown to bits, and five-year-old Posy was one of the few who escaped to District Thirteen. She had always thought that it would be repaired, replaced with a better District Twelve.

She had anticipated their return to District Twelve ever since they had gotten the okay to get out of District Thirteen.

They were headed to District Two. And what Posy had noticed was that Gale had not spoken to her, Rory, Vick or their mother the whole time. This shocked her as well as saddened her. She always wanted a better life, a happier life with her family.

But things were just about to get worse with the new Gale.


	2. Primrose Everdeen

**I decided to dedicate a whole chapter to Prim. Rest In Peace, Prim.:)**

**Next up will be Mrs. Everdeen. I'm still thinking of whether to do a chapter of Gale. Tell me what you think.**

Primrose Everdeen

Prim was watching from above. In the clouds, actually, but the Living had no way of knowing that. She really missed her family—especially Katniss. But she had to admit, afterlife was pretty awesome. Sitting in the clouds, watching as numerous, as well as unexpected scenes unfolded before her.

What she was watching was very interesting. Katniss carried a blue bundle to Prim's grave in the Meadow. Beside her was Peeta, holding the hand of their three and a half year old daughter, Elli Primrose Mellark. Her namesake, Prim thought fondly.

"Prim, wherever you are… I hope you're happy." Katniss was saying. She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Yes…" agreed Peeta. "We wish you could be here with us."

"We mish you…" added Elli in a really adorable high pitched voice. Prim almost bawled; she was so touched at their gestures. "Andy mishes you too, Auntee Pwim!" she squealed. That's so adorable, thought Prim. Elli laughed.

"Shh, Elli." Peeta said softly, holding his index finger over his mouth. "Quiet time, now. Why don't you come with me? I think Mom needs some alone time with Auntie Prim. Come on, let's go. They need some time together." Peeta coaxed. Elli sighed.

"Do I have to, Daddy?" Elli begged, showing her daddy her big blue eyes. "Pwease let me stay!"

"No." Peeta said firmly. "No. Mommy and Auntie Prim need some alone time together."

"Okay…" said Elli resignedly. But Katniss had heard and was asking what all the fuss was about.

"You need some time with Prim!" Peeta said. Katniss pursed her lips, obviously hesitant. But Peeta insisted. "I'll take Elli and Andy for a walk. That way, you can be with Prim for a while." Katniss smiled.

"Alright, Peeta, whatever you say." Katniss kissed Peeta on the cheek, and handed him Andy. "Be careful with Andy." Peeta nodded. Katniss gave him one last peck on the cheek, and bid them goodbye.

When the threesome had left, Katniss sighed, and sat down on the mat of grass in front of her sister's grave. "I really miss you Prim." Katniss said quietly. "It's times like these that I really need your help." Katniss smiled faintly. She was obviously holding back tears.

"Here, I brought this, for you." Katniss said, pulling out a bunch of pink primroses. Silence followed, which was eerie. "Everyone misses you, Prim. You didn't deserve to die." Katniss said in a last ditch effort to put herself together. But even that failed, as Katniss burst into tears.

But she soon stopped, as Katniss wasn't the type to cry. Katniss smiled another watery smile, and burst into song.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when again they open,the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet And tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

Prim wiped a tear from her cheek. But soon, she could control it no more. Tears began flowing, and no dam could stop her from pouring out all the emotion in her heart.


	3. Mrs Everdeen

Mrs. Everdeen

_Mrs. Everdeen sighed, and plopped down on her bed after a tiring day of caring for patients in the hospital. She glanced at the picture on her dresser table. It was a picture of Katniss, actually smiling, with Prim and her father. It was the only piece of District Twelve she took with her when she escaped to District Thirteen._

_The day was tiring. She had a dozen patients to take care of, and medicate as well. A fatal epidemic just broke out, and Mrs. Everdeen certainly could not allow her patients to die. It had been tiring, as some nurses have also gotten sick._

_As Mrs. Everdeen's eyelids fluttered shut, her phone rang. Ever since the Rebellion succeeded, Plutarch Heavensbee insisted on equipping all the relatives and friends of the victors with cell phones. According to some, soon everyone will have phones._

_Mrs. Everdeen picked up the phone. "Hello?" she asked tiredly._

"_Hi, Mom," said the voice of someone she had not heard from since years before. "It's Katniss. How are you?" Katniss asked. Mrs. Everdeen almost fainted. It was Katniss! Katniss, her daughter, who Mrs. Everdeen hadn't talked to for several years!_

"_Katniss!" Mrs. Everdeen replied, surprised. "I'm fine. What about you?"_

"_I'm great." Katniss replied. "Listen, Mom. If you have time, would you like to come over to District Twelve and help me watch Elli and Andy?" Katniss asked. A brief silence followed. "You know… Elli, Andy… my kids?" Kids! Katniss had kids! Mrs. Everdeen was taken aback._

"_Kids! You have kids!" Mrs. Everdeen said softly._

"_Yes, Mom, I do. So will you?" Katniss insisted. _

"_Of course, Katniss… I'll be there tomorrow." Mrs. Everdeen answered._

"_Love you." Katniss whispered. Mrs. Everdeen gasped softly. Katniss hadn't said that since her father had died. Hopefully, Katniss did not hear Mrs. Everdeen gasp. "I love you, Mom."_

"_I love you too, Katniss." Mrs. Everdeen whispered back. And Katniss hung up._

Mrs. Everdeen's eyelids fluttered open. She looked at her surroundings, which to her dismay were not from District Twelve. _Then was everything just a dream?_ Mrs. Everdeen wondered. She stood up and opened the window, and peered down at the scenery. It was not even the least bit similar to the scenes in District Twelve.

Mrs. Everdeen sighed hopelessly, and sat down on her bed. She checked the telephone beside her bed. No recent calls. So everything was a dream after all.


	4. The Odairs

The Odairs

Annie looked at her son. He was eight years old—and looking very much like Finnick, his deceased father. Finn was the reason Annie did not go insane from loneliness. Finn Odair was also the reason she was there now and not in her room, sulking and shedding all the tears she was holding back in the past eight years.

Finn looked up and grinned at his mother. His smile was very much similar to his father's, except a few milk teeth were missing here and there. "Mommy, can I go swimming? Please?" Finn asked. "Please, Mommy?" Annie smiled. She loved being called Mommy and wanted to cherish every moment of it before her son grew up.

"Sure, honey," Annie answered gently. "But not now, you just finished eating."

"Aww…" Finn replied. He looked sadly at the pile of blocks he was just playing with. "But I don't want to play with my blocks, Mommy." He sat down on the floor and sighed. Annie hated seeing him like that; it reminded her of Finnick. "They're boring." He yawned.

"Why don't you take a nap, Finn? You look sleepy." Annie said. "When you wake up, we'll go swimming."

Finn suddenly perked up. The corners of his mouth lifted, and the bored look on his blue eyes disappeared immediately. Annie grinned. Her plan was working. "Promise, Mommy?" Finn asked. Annie nodded. "Pinky promise?" He held out his pinky.

"Promise." Annie replied, placing her pinky on top of Finn's and finishing the pinky promise.

"Okay." Finn said happily. And he rushed up the stairs to his room. Annie sighed, and read her book entitled _Moby Dick _by a man named Herman Melville. It was a very old book, written way before Panem even existed. Apparently, it was about a whale which bit off a man's leg. The man intended to take revenge.

Somehow, _Moby Dick _reminded Annie about the Hunger Games, and the Rebellion, which she tried so hard to forget. The Rebellion, the Games… it had all happened because of anger, cruelty and revenge. The Capitol did not know how to forgive, thus permitting the creation of the Hunger Games—just like the man in her book. The Rebellion happened because of the wish for revenge, and also the inability to forgive…

As Annie sat there, lost in thought, Finn started to cry. "M—Mommy! Mommy!" Annie checked the clock on the wall opposite the couch she was sitting on. It had been forty minutes since she sent Finn off to take his nap.

With no hesitation, Annie shut her book and ran up the stairs. "Finn, Finn! I'm coming!" she shouted back. As a mother, she tended to overreact sometimes. She had experienced a lot of trauma as a child, and did not want Finn to experience the same torture she had.

"Mommy…" Finn sobbed. Annie arrived at her son's room, and sat down on the bed, next to her son, who was sitting up and shivering. "Mommy…"

"What happened, Finn?" Annie asked.

"I—I… Mommy…" Finn wailed. Annie stroked her son's back and murmured "There, there" repeatedly. Soon, he stopped crying. Finn swallowed and said, "Mommy… I had a bad dream while I was taking my nap. It was very bad..." Finn trailed off.

Annie raised an eyebrow. "What happened in your bad dream, Finn?" Annie asked.

Finn shook his head. "I—I… I don't want to talk about it, Mommy…" he whispered. Annie nodded; she understood very well. "It will make me start crying again. And I don't want to cry again, Mommy." He wiped a stray tear streaming down his cheek.

"Okay, Finn. Let's not talk about it. Go dress up; we're going swimming." Annie said. But to her surprise, Finn shook his head again. "Why on Earth not? I thought you wanted to go swimming, Finn."

"I want to finish my nap." Finn replied.

"Okay, then. I'll be downstairs, reading my book." Annie said. She stood up.

Annie was halfway to Finn's door when he said, "Mommy, stay here. Please…" he begged. "I don't want my bad dream to visit me again. It was bad enough the first time." Annie smiled.

"Sure, honey. How'd you like me to read you a story?" Annie offered. Finn nodded enthusiastically. "Which story do you want me to read to you?" she asked while pulling out Finn's storybook. His book had approximately fifty stories in it, thus plenty to choose from.

"Please read _The Mermaid_. That one's my favorite." Finn answered. He curled up under his blankets, eagerly waiting for his mother to start reading.

"All right…" Annie said. She cleared her throat and started reading. As she read each sentence, Finn's eyes grew sleepier and sleepier. At the end, Finn was asleep and as still as a log. "And they lived happily ever after." Annie concluded. She kissed her son on the forehead and went to her room to finish _Moby Dick_.


	5. The Mellarks

**A bit too much fluff here, if you ask me. Sorry! I just thought I'd portray Katniss and Peeta's family as a happy one.**

* * *

The Mellarks

"Good morning, Mother, Father!" greeted five year old Elli, Katniss and Peeta's daughter. She peered at her brother, who was holding a furry light brown bear. "Morning, Andy, how are you—Hold on." She glanced at Andy again, who raised his eyebrow. "Andrew Orion Mellark!" she shrieked. "Give back my bear!"

"No!" Andy yelled back.

"Mommy, Andy took Muffy!"

Katniss rolled her eyes. "Andy, give Elli back her bear. That's not yours."

At that moment, Andy started crying. "Bu-But Mommy! I don't haff one!"

Peeta rushed over to his son. "Now, now, Andy. Mommy is right. Muffy the bear is not yours. Muffy belongs to Elli, remember? Come on. We'll take you to the woods, like you always wanted." Peeta coaxed. At the sound of the word 'woods', Andy stopped wailing. "Hold on, I'll ask Mommy for permission first. She's the one who knows about the woods." He turned to face his wife.

"Peeta!" Katniss hissed at her husband. "Why did you promise him that? He's too young to go to the woods!"

"Katniss! Leave this to me!" Peeta hissed back. He turned back to Andy, and smiled a big smile. "Yep. Mommy said it's all right, so we can go. Now, does four o' clock sound good to you, Andy?" he asked his son. Andy nodded, and grinned back at his father.

Once Andy turned away from his parents, Katniss took Peeta by the shoulders, and walked him to the nearest room; the guest room. Katniss shut the door behind them and started screaming at Peeta. "Peeta! How can you promise Andy something we cannot give him! Another teddy bear, that's fine! A soccer ball? No problem! A trip to the woods! That's too much, Peeta!"

"Katniss—!" Peeta said.

"Don't 'Katniss—!' me, Peeta! Don't you care about Andy's safety? Don't you know that the woods are very dangerous! I leaned on it for survival before, but that was because it was necessary!" Katniss shouted. "And if we have to take Andy to the woods, we have to take Elli, too! Elli's only five, and Andy's only three… they're too young for this!"

"Katniss—!" Peeta said again. "Calm down!"

"Peeta!" Katniss shot back. Tears were forming in her eyes. Peeta thought that his wife was overreacting a little, but stayed quiet. "Peeta, don't you see? Your promise to Andy was very dangerous! If they get bitten… or if they get trapped… or if they die… don't you ever consider that possibility, Peeta! I don't want them to suffer like we—"

Peeta kissed her. When they finally broke apart, Peeta said, "Shh. Katniss, it'll be all right. Really. I understand what you don't want for our children. But while we're at the woods, we can protect them, just like we did to each other in the arena."

Katniss nodded. "I'm sorry I overreacted and screamed at you like a madwoman." Katniss told Peeta. "You're right, of course." Katniss, just like her fellow victor Annie Cresta, was a very protective mother. Her reasoning for it is also similar to Annie's—she didn't want her children to suffer in any way.

The door suddenly creaked open. "We heard screaming." Elli said quietly.

Andy asked, "Are you awight?" he asked his parents. "Ewwi and I are not fi—figh—!" Andy said.

"Fighting." Elli amended.

"Yeah, fighting! Ewwi and I are not fighting an—any—"

"Anymore."

"Ewwi and I are not fighting anymore." Andy finished. He looked at his sister proudly. "Ewwi is so smart!" Elli blushed, and thanked him. "So, pwease, Mommy, Daddy, don't fight anymore! Say sowwy alweady!" he insisted.

"Yeah, Andy's right! Kiss and make up already!" Elli said, grinning.

"We already did." Peeta told them. "So who wants to go to the woods? We'll take both of you, right now, if you guys want. And of course, if Katniss wants." He turned around at asked his wife Katniss for approval. Her gray eyes considered for a moment; she was clearly hesitant about this.

Katniss smiled. Her powerful eyes softened a bit. "Of course it's all right with me, Peeta. But I think I need to go with you. You might die a very painful death in there." Peeta laughed, and the kids, though unsure of what to laugh about, laughed with him.

"Come on, Mommy, come with us!"—That was Andy.

"Yeah, Mommy, let's go now!"—That was Elli.

"Now, now, kids," Peeta said. "Now, now, we should ask Mommy if she wants to go now. She is the one who knows all about the woods, and what's in it." Peeta explained to them. "She's a survivor." he said proudly.

"Of course it's all right with me if we go now."—That was Katniss.

"Yay!" Elli and Andy shouted in unison. They hugged their mother. "Thanks a lot Mommy! Please teach us all you know about the woods!"—that was from Elli. "Thanks Mommy! We wuv you!"—that was from Andy.

"Hey, what about Daddy?" Peeta complained. He put a fake scowl on his face for all to see. Katniss snickered.

Elli hugged Peeta. "We won't forget you, Daddy."

Katniss grinned. "No, of course not."


	6. Gale Hawthorne, Part One

Gale Hawthorne/Part One

Gale had plenty of secrets. He always did—like how he hunted illegally every Sunday, to how he loved Katniss Everdeen with all his heart. And that was just before. Now, he often took a break from looking at the computer screen to look at his photo of Katniss—his _only_ photo.

If Gale had a choice, though, he would march over to District Twelve with his digital camera and take a whole album's worth of Katniss photos. But he did not, unfortunately. If he even snuck a peek at Peeta Mellark, Katniss' husband, he would just give up, and walk home with his shoulders slumped.

Maybe, if Gale confronted Katniss at a time when she was alone… maybe he wouldn't have to face Peeta. He picked up his cell phone, and dialed Katniss' number. "Hello? Who is it?" Katniss asked. But Gale did not answer her; he was too immersed in his thoughts about her voice. "Hello?" Katniss repeated.

Gale sighed, and hung up. If he hadn't made those bombs in the first place, right now they would be having a pleasant conversation. But he had; Gale Hawthorne had made the bombs that killed Katniss' sister, Primrose Everdeen. That was another one of Gale's secrets. Only another knew it; Beetee.

Gale dialed Beetee's number. "Hello?" said the smart voice of the inventor. "Who is this?"

"It's Gale." Gale replied. "I really have to talk to you about something; something important." He heard Beetee mutter "Go on", and blurted out, "Do you think Katniss blames me for her sister's death?"

A brief silence—well, this was expected. Beetee thought quickly, but if you asked him a question that stumped him, he would take a long time. So Gale waited patiently. "Of course not, Gale," Beetee answered. "She does not know that you designed the bombs that killed Primrose."

Beetee was right, in a way. Katniss was not absolutely sure. But Gale was really sure that Katniss suspected him. "But Katniss… she doesn't understand. It's so complicated." Gale said. "She's suspicious of me; she thinks I killed Prim with my bombs. But I didn't."

"Exactly." Beetee replied. "You need to explain to her that you only made the bombs; you didn't drop them on Prim. That was Coin's doing. And Katniss already knows that; she killed Coin, after all. If Coin did not drop the bombs, she'd still be alive now, wouldn't she?"

"You know what, Beetee? You're right." Gale said. "How would you like to come over for a coffee?"

"No, sorry, Gale, I am really busy right now." Beetee answered. "How about Saturday?"

"Can't. Anyway, what are you doing?" Gale asked him.

Gale was absolutely sure that Beetee was inventing some sort of contraption. But to Gale's surprise, Beetee stammered, "I—I… I'm visiting Wiress. You know her… my district partner d-during the Q-Quell? We had quite a long history." Beetee sniffed. Gale suspected he was crying, but was not sure.

"All right, then. I'll call back later." Gale told him roughly. He badly wanted to apologize to his friend, but that was out of the question. He had something else—something really important that cannot wait any longer. He pressed the red icon of a telephone, and hung up.

He sighed, hesitated. But Gale made up his mind about it, while he was talking on the phone with Beetee. Maybe he would call her again after all.


	7. Gale Hawthorne, Part Two

**Sorry if the characters seem a bit OOC here. Especially Katniss.**

* * *

Gale picked up the phone and dialed Katniss' number. "Hello?" said Katniss. "Is this… Gale?"

"Katniss." Gale said breathlessly. He knew that once Katniss heard his voice, he would no longer have to answer her question. But he did anyway. "It's me. Gale," he added. He could already imagine the look of sheer terror on Katniss' face, so he said, "I have something important to tell you."

"Go on." Katniss said. Gale could hear her shooing off her husband, Peeta, and her daughter, Elli, who were probably eavesdropping. Typical Peeta; eager to pass on his terrible traits to his daughter. "What is it, Gale?"

"I want you to know something, Katniss." Gale said firmly. He wanted to say it already; that he still loved her and all that stuff. But he couldn't, so he instead told a half-truth. "I have a girlfriend. Her name is Rayne." Gale said.

"Oh, really?" he heard Katniss say in an astonished voice. "That's awesome, Gale. But I know you have something else to tell me."

"You could practically read my mind already, even when I'm not there, huh?" Gale asked. Their friendship had been so strong, that they could practically see what the other was thinking. But for Gale, the friendship had only given way to love… and that was when things got complicated.

But he couldn't say that now.

"Of course, Gale. That's how well I know you." Katniss replied. "You always were the strong type, weren't you? The firm and unyielding type…" Katniss trailed off. "And that kind of personality could fetch you a lot of women." She laughed, and so did Gale.

"Very funny, Katniss. But you know I have absolutely no interest in women other than you. You're the only exception." Gale said truthfully. "And I'm not saying I've given up, Katniss Everdeen." He heard his best friend gasp over the phone.

"You might as well give up then, Gale. You know I love you, but I'm not _in_ love with you." Katniss answered wearily, as if this sort of conversation with Gale happened every day.

"Katniss," Gale pleaded. "I think you know that no matter how many Peetas you end up marrying, I'll still be in love with you. And there's nothing you can do to change that."

"Then I won't do anything to change that. But I'll still love Peeta. And there's nothing _you_ can do to change that." Katniss said crossly. "And you know what, there's something I have to tell you too." He could already picture it; Katniss yelling at him and at the end, telling him she hated him.

But Gale couldn't stand it. "Go on, Katniss. What do you have to say? Spit it out."

But what Katniss said was completely unexpected. "Gale, I'm pregnant again. This is my third one."

"Oh, really?" Gale asked. That was all he could think of saying. "Congratulations, Katniss."

"It's another girl." Katniss said without hesitating. "We're thinking of naming her Rue."

An awkward silence fell. "Oh… that's… nice…" Gale said. He cleared his throat. "I guess this is goodbye then, Katniss?"

"I guess so. Bye, Gale." Katniss said.

"I still love you, Katniss." Gale replied.

"I know."


	8. Finnick Odair

**I love Finnick and Annie. My absolute favorite pairing! As in, really. There was this girl who said Finnick was gay, and I slapped her repeatedly. Okay, okay, I'll let you read the chapter. Hope you enjoy it! Please review! :)**

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Finnick

Finnick gazed longingly at Annie's face. Her face was as beautiful as ever, even though it was permanently stained by tears. Yes, tears. Every minute of every day, Finnick watched her. And every night, she cried herself to sleep and woke up on a damp pillow, about to start living yet another day without him.

He wished he could undo this somehow—Annie did not deserve to be alone. But she wasn't alone. She had his son, Finn. No, that sounded wrong. Their son. That sounded more like it. Every time Finnick set his eyes on the little thing, his heart leaped with pleasure.

He wasn't sure if he still even had a heart. But then again, he wasn't sure of many things: why he wasn't with Annie, why he had to die on that mission when he was just about to have a son—he wasn't even sure of where he was.

Was he in heaven? Or was he in hell? Was he somewhere in between? Maybe Earth was hell. Finnick had experienced hell on Earth, but found heaven—Annie—only to have heaven cruelly ripped away from him. It was so unfair.

Finnick pondered these things while he watched Annie cradle their one-and-a-half year old son and kiss his forehead.

"Mommy…" Finn said. "Daddy?" He pointed to their wedding picture propped up on Annie's bedside table. Annie's mouth quivered and tears gathered in her sea-green eyes. The tears fell. Finn touched one of the tears with his finger. "Mommy?"

Finn's words were like knives to Finnick—knives that reopened wounds that were already healing. Never mind the fact they weren't healing in the first place.

"F-Finnick… was a wonderful man," Annie said. Her voice shook when she said 'Finnick'. "He… he helped me when everyone else already turned their back on me. H-He didn't deserve to…" That's when she started sobbing. While she was telling Finn about his father, she had tried to hold it together. But right now, she simply couldn't.

"Mommy," Finn said. "No… cry."

"I-I-I…" Annie stammered. She wiped her eyes with one hand while holding Finn with the other. "I-It's okay. I'll be a-all right."

Why was she pretending to be so strong? Didn't Annie already know it was all right to cry sometimes? Okay, most of the time. But still. Annie was Annie. And Annie _never_ pretended to be strong—well, except maybe in the Hunger Games, where you had to be strong (or at least pretend to be) to be of any use.

Annie took a deep breath and calmed herself. "I'm fine now," she said, more to herself than to Finn. "Why don't we go outside?"

She scooped up Finn and headed out to the garden. Finnick followed them, mostly because he wanted to see what would happen and partly because he had nowhere to go anyway.

"Wa-ter," Finn said, pointing at the sea, which was the same color as Finnick's eyes. "Wa-ter."

"Yes, water," Annie replied sadly. "Your father and I used to swim there all the time." The memories flooded back to Finnick, like a big tidal wave that just crashed on the shore. The day he rescued Annie from when she attempted suicide. The day they both sat there on the sand, just watching the waves. The day he told Annie he loved her.

"Daddy?" Finn asked.

"Yes, Daddy," Annie answered. "He was the strongest and the kindest man I ever knew… he saved me, you know."

At those words, Finnick realized. Annie wasn't pretending to be strong. She was trying to be strong, for Finn.

* * *

**Okay, so in case you're confused, this story's chapters happen at different times. And in this chapter, Finnick knows he's dead, but he doesn't know where he is. So he just drifts around on Earth for a while. **


End file.
